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Category Archives: Natural Living and Health

This is the place where I would like to share some of the more natural approaches to life that myself and my family are embarking upon. We have tried and failed many times in the past and I am at a point where I am seeing how desperately we need to get back to the basics.

I have been following a low carb, high fat diet and have been feeling fantastic. I started this journey at the end of January this year and have been steadily losing weight due to my body running more effectively. I have lost a total of 35 lbs. just eating real food.

I eat when I am hungry and I eat until I am full. I do not count calories, I do not count carbs, I do not count anything! I choose to eat real foods, that means I have dropped most boxed foods. It’s not as hard as it seems. I do not eat pasta, I do not eat bread, I choose full fat condiments and it’s been great. I can delve into the science a bit more later on.

Real, full-fat foods are a great energy source for our bodies. Some days I feel like I am eating all day and that is ok! I just keep on making the healthier choices. There are also days where I hardly eat and that is ok too! I am learning to listen to my body and it has really been paying off.

Do I cheat? Yes I do! This is not a diet to me, it’s a lifestyle change. I know that this sounds cliché, but it’s true. If I choose to eat a food outside of what I have deemed the norm, it’s because it is worth it for me that day! Cheating was once a weekend thing for me, now it’s a single item choice any time it comes up. I was super strict in the first few weeks and have felt the way food effect my energy and mood. Now I choose healthier and happier me day to day.

I would love to chat with you all more about this. It’s been a short journey this far but so rewarding!

Like this:

I have had so many people ask me what I am doing to loose weight. Still the same thing, eating real food only!

Have I cheated in these 3 months? Yup! I do not make a day out of my “cheats”, but I will eat some rice here and there 🙂

Just Eat Real Food. I have hear this over and over again and now find myself saying it over and over again. Drop the carbs, toss the processed foods, loose the sugar, and eat real food. Your body will thank you, mine is!

I feel great. I sleep better, have more energy, and have a much healthier relationship with food now. I am satisfied after eating. I eat when I am hungry and eat until I am full. It’s is truly that simple. I know that I am overweight and that my body is not running efficiently, so I am choosing to not eat fruit or starchy veggies like sweet potatoes and legumes. Not often anyway….once a month at best now that I am in the swing of things here.

I gave this change a good 5 weeks before I allowed myself to eat a little rice, I highly recommend that you get real strict right off the bat for at least 4-6 weeks. (I am not an expert by any means) Give yourself time to adjust to the changes, let your body adjust. I also increased my Himalayan sea sat consumption to aid my body in hydration. When you are not consuming carbs, your body needs the added salt….as always, consult your own doctor when making drastic changes to your diet, especially if you have any health conditions going on. Broth is a good supplement also for increasing sodium 🙂

Be kind to your body the first couple weeks, drink LOTS of water, eat when you’re hungry….get a good night’s sleep. I had a supply of meats and cheese in the fridge that I could just grab when feeling hungry. Pickles were great for my crunchy/salty needs.

Be sure to eat full fat everything! No more low fat items. That means, high fat meats, cheeses, dressings, creams, butter, etc. A list of some items a friend gave me:

1. Avocados

2. Butter

3. Whole Eggs

4. Coconut Oil

5. Bacon

6. Sour Cream

7. 70% Ground Beef

8. Full fat cheddar or hard cheese

9. Coconut

10. Dark Chocolate 80% Cacao

11. Cream Cheese

12. Macadamia Nuts

13. Pecans

14. Foie Gras

15. Heavy cream in your coffee

Here are Boars Head meats/cheeses that are good:

1. Bologna

2. Strassburger Liver

3. Olive Loaf

4. Cooked Salami

5. Vermont Cheddar

6. Havarti

7. Monterey Jack

8. Muenster

9. Hard Salami

10. Mortadella

11. Pepperoni

Read the ingredients before buying lunchmeats. I was reading the ingredients through the glass and was shocked to see all the sugar and chemicals added to the meats. So, if you’re a lunchmeat kinds of person, READ THE LABELS. Seriously.

Here is a calculation that will tell you if the food is high in fat:

Fat Gram Content x 9. Divide by total calories in the serving of food. Multiply by 100 – This gives you the percent fat

These were great when starting out. Check them out! I will continue to post as I walk this road. I have lost 25lbs and have not counted a single calorie. I have simply started fueling my body properly.

This month I will start working out a bit, I will do one of those easy “get started exercising” deals. You know, the ones that say 5 crunches, 5 jumping jacks, 5 crunches today….10 tomorrow, etc.

Like this:

So, this change in eating habits started Monday and I am really feeling great!

First, let me start with some challenges I’ve had this week.

Tuesday, day two, was great. The only issue I encountered was when my girls wanted whipped cream and ice cream for their sleep over. …it was snowing pretty bad out at that point sooooo that saved me. If I had stopped, I am not so sure I could have refrained from Ben & Jerry’s. Thank you snow storm!

Wednesday, day three, this was the roughest day of them all. That day was full of long meetings at work. I didn’t eat or hydrate properly and was feeling it that afternoon. At one point a Co – worker was placing bright orange mini sticky notes on a plate, all I could think of was wanting a plate of Doritoes! Yes, orange pieces of paper caused me to crave cheesy chips. She encouraged me to take a bite of the paper to cure my craving, I opted not to. Haha

Friday, another great day! We had a bunch of friends over for a pot luck type dinner and fellowships. We eat, chat and the band, Imperial Boxtruck, practices for a bit. I made pork, salad and potatoes. I actually refrained from my potatoes and without much struggle. One of our friends brought a hash brown casserole full of potatoes and cheesy goodness. THIS was a challenge! I struggled. I took a pic and sent it to two lovely ladies that are partaking in this diet change with me. I felt like I was reaching out to my sponsors. It helped! I don’t think I’d make it too far without support!!

Now for the positives!

I didn’t realize just how bloated I was. My rings fit bettter now. Typically I would wake up and have to drink a full glass of water before I could put my rings on comfortably. Now, not even a week later, no such issue! My clothes even fit better. This past week, I was able to wear two shirts that I have not worn in a really long time. My knee high boots even feel looser now. My belly has gone down noticeably.

I have more energy. I am sleeping more soundly and have more energy throughout the day. I have a toddler, so I am still tired, but definitely felt a big difference these past few days.

My hunger has changed. It’s hard to explain, but I’ve noticed that I am feeling like I want food, even when I’m not hungry. I think this is part of the transition phase where my body is craving the sugar I am withholding. Otherwise, I am eating until satisfied and don’t feel sluggish after meals. I am not getting that gross, “I ate way too much”, feeling. I also don’t want coffee as much. Apparently it was the sugar I was craving. Now tea has become more appealing.

I am truly amazed with the changes I am feeling through this process. I am so happy that I started this. I am so thankful that my friends at work are with me on this and planning for our daytime eating!

Basically we’re eating real, unprocessed, foods. No sugar and only natural carbs. Full fat foods only. During this transition phase were also omitting root vegetables. We will reintroduce them in small portions eventually.

Like this:

So, I have never been the type of person to try new diets all the time. I know that it’s not good to approach my eating in a drastic way and that it can create more issues than it would help resolve. Over the years I have been taking a more passive approach to making healthier choices. I have not gone crazy, as I have heard others do, but it’s something I am always thinking about.

I am not at a healthy weight and have not been since the birth of my first daughter. Prior to that I could eat anything I wanted and, with no formal exercise, stay thin. After having my girls back to back, I stayed where I was and teetered back and forth between heavier and lighter. The change mostly depended on what was going on in my life at the time as I have found that I am an emotional eater.

As far as vices go, I would say that salty/crunchy foods are the number one problem for me. This is why Doritos are not allowed in my home very often. They are irresistible to me!

So over the years I have gained a better understanding of portion control, I successfully lost weight on Weight Watchers and I visited the vegetarian side for a few years and that is about it. The vegetarian part of life had more to do with my husband and the fact that the meat industry pumps our food full or hormones and antibiotics. This year we are buying a half cow from a local farm! Possible a half pig too. So, I am still moving towards making healthier and more local purchases in that area. We will be participating in the local CSA to ensure a more well rounded, healthier choice of veggies while supporting the local farmer all at the same time 🙂

Anyway, I have struggle between hating my body and trying to accept my body. I have discovered that I have a distorted view of my body also. I feel that I am much larger than I am. Kinda crazy, right? I will see a person much larger than I (no judgments!) and think that I am bigger than them or close to their size, then I would catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realize that I am not. This has pushed me to look in a full length mirror more often. As I avoided mirrors, I began to think I was “uglier” and “fatter” then I am. I know this is something a lot of people struggle with even when looking in a mirror often.

Part of the changes I am making is that I prepare myself before looking in the mirror. I remind myself that God made me and that I am His perfect creation. My husband thinks I am beautiful, my children think I am beautiful, so it’s time that I start seeing myself how I really am. Time to stop allowing my emotions distort how I see life. Oh how that emotional baggage can effect everything.

So here I am on January 22nd and I am making another change. My co-workers and I decided that after the New Year, we were making healthier choices in the office. No more eating out several times a week! Breakfast is mandatory after our morning meeting! We will combine our efforts and each pitch in a health snack and salad fixins! We were doing well 🙂

Enter IT guy who only visits our office like twice a year. He was thinner and full of energy this visit. He shares with us that he is now following a high fat, low carb diet these days. He dropped 50lbs and is feeling great.

This starts to bring to the forefront of my mind how many people I have heard tell me this. Drop the carbs (other than natural ones), drop the sugar, eat full fat foods, eat like our ancestors did before the introduction of processed foods….

So after much discussion and research we are moving in that direction. As of this past Monday we have increased out fat intake through meats, upped the veggies (other than root veggies for now), dropped the sugar and carbs, and are eating together in this fashion at work and on our own at home. We have also increased our water and sodium intake to help our bodies regulate.

In short, we are dropping the carbs that turn into sugar, this then allows our insulin levels to drop back down and for our bodies to begin to utilize the stored fat. There’s more to it, I am just updating you guys on the basics of what we’re doing 🙂

So on with the sour cream, full fat cheeses, meats and vegetables!

I will keep you all posted on this journey and can tell you that today I can feel the difference. I am eating less and am way less bloated. Here is to a happier, healthier me! I did not weigh myself as I feel weight loss will just be a bi-product of getting my body to run more efficiently :0)

I have imbalances that needed attention and have tried the conventional methods as well as more natural methods. Then I give up all together and have to start all over. Well, a few months ago I decided that I needed to stop that, do some research and slowly add supplements until I find what works for my body.

St. John’s Wort – There is a history of depression on both sides of my gene pool and I can be quite anxious at times….I know, you can’t tell beneath my cool exterior 😛 So, rather than jumping on head meds prescribed by my doc, I have chosen to take St. John’s Wort. I started with 300mg a day for a few weeks and am now taking 700 – 800 mg a day, depending on the brand I happen to have on hand. It has really helped. I have definitely felt a balancing in myself. I do not have a severe degree of depression or anxiety so this is a good fit for me. If someone with a more extreme case were to ask my opinion, I would suggest that they talk to their doc before trying anything. I have spoken to my doctor and she is well aware that I am introducing herbal treatments into my life. She was in full agreement 🙂

Nettle/Quercetin – I suffer from allergies and have also felt off in a hormonal sense since I had my baby. So, after some research I came across Nettle. Nettle has been shown to be a great supplement to use in lieu of over the counter allergy relief medications. I also found out that it has been shown to help with PMS! Bam! Two birds, one stone and all that. I took Nettle about 6 weeks before Spring to ensure it was in my system and it has worked! Recently, when I was looking to order more I found a Nettle- Quercetin combo and decided to give it a try. Why not? Quercetin has been shown to help boost the immune system, fighting allergies, support bone and cardiovascular health. I feel like we’re getting more bang with each capsule now! So far so good, I have not had to take Claratin and by now I am usually dying. I did try Butterbur somewhere in between as well but did not find that to be effective at all. I get mine from Amazon here 🙂

Juice Plus – This is the protein drink that my hubby and I have found to work the best for us. We each have one shake in the morning and I can say for myself, that I am not looking to eat again until around 11 am. Good stuff! Oh, and it tastes good too! You can check it out on here 🙂

So that is all we do for now. I prefer to add one thing at a time and let it work into my system to see how it goes. I start at a low dose and stick to that for a few weeks before changing anything. I think this is part of the reason people don’t use natural supplements more often. It takes time! There are no quick fixes, but it will work if you give it time.

Next! I will be adding Maca Root to my regime. The reason I have chosen this is because it is a super food and can be added to my morning protein shake! Also, it has been shown to help even out hormones. I feel more balanced hormonally, but being a woman and all makes me think that I can use all the balancing I can get! Rich in B vitamins, high in bioavailable calcium (who can’t se some calcium?), magnesium and has been shown to be great for remineralization. Sounds like a good deal to me!

I will keep you all posted and will get into more details on why these things are good for you so that we can learn together in future post! Thanks for coming along on my travels, here is to a happier and healthier life!

Here in the Trinci Bunch household we are making those healthy changes that we always talk about….ok, that I always talk about and never follow through in. Scratch that, I have made changes that have stuck, and have failed to try different approaches to those things that my family balked against.

So, back on track. Slow and steady wins the race! One thing at a time is my approach this time. This completely goes against my grain. I am typically the type of person that jumps in, tears down whatever it is that is not working, re-organize and implement the more efficient plan! That works in my professional life, not so much when it comes to a more natural and healthier lifestyle at home.

In the coming weeks I will bring you along on my travels into a healthier and more nutritious life. The projects I have chosen to start with are:

– Making Kombucha (a drink packed in goodness)

– Making our deodorant (we have been using a natural version but we are revamping)

– Making out own toothpaste (and flavoring to the kids specifications :-p)

I have more plans on the back burner but I think the above items are a good place to start for now!

Like this:

As I have mentioned previously, I am beginning a journey into a healthier me. As far as how unhealthy am I? Well I need to lose a good 60 lbs to begin with. I have tried dome diets but am not the type to try drastic diets. I have always wanted to find a healthy balance. Unfortunately I have yet to find that in my life. Weight Watchers was great when I was following it, the numerous calorie counters I utilized as well. They thing is, anything will work so long as you follow it!

My weaknesses? Doritos! Chips are evil but I love them so, sigh. I just over eat and am not active enough is what it boils down to. I can give a million reasons for why I have no self-control with food, but in reality it won’t help. I am here and it is time to change it.

I always say that I am going to start planning meals for the week and stick to it, but that never seems to happen. I blame my busy life, and it is quite busy, but really is not a valid excuse. I begin to exercise and then fall off of it when a kid gets sick or I get super busy (again).

I am 31 and overweight and am going to put an end to it.

So, I will begin starting small and build up from there. I plan on making it a family project. We have moved into a home that is much larger than our last and we have plenty of room for my fermenting projects that I will be talking about in the upcoming weeks as well as for storing canned goods that we can make. We live within a half mile of 3 parks so walking will become easier for us. I am taking away the excuses I had previously.

Today is a new day. I am not striving for perfection, I am striving to make healthier changes and to break the bonds that unhealthy food and lifestyle practices that have been keeping us captive.

So I thank you all who want to follow along on this journey and hope that you will engage in the process as well! I would love to hear about your thoughts, struggles and the things that have worked for you!

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